Why Is Society Considered To Be Deviant

In society, obesity, the condition of being grossly fat or overweight, is considered to be deviant and has created a moral panic (the widespread concern that a particular group of the population is responsible for harm or threat so social order) across the United States. Individuals who are obese, assume a “deviant identity,” an identity given when a person deviates away from the standards of society. While society is in moral panic, they often don’t look at the reason behind the creation of the deviant behavior, instead, they place the obese into a category of their own.

Over the years, the norms of society (a group of people with commonalities in territory, interaction, and culture) have changed. During the Victorian Era, a plump woman was considered to be fertile, wealthy, and sexy. In today’s society, the norm is “thinness,” therefore, individuals labeled as being “obese” are considered to be deviant. Society places pressure on individuals to conform to the standards of being “thin;” however, society is the one contributing to obesity.

People today live in a fast-paced society that leads to the contribution of excessive caloric intake and a decrease in physical activity. Some examples of how society contributes to excessive caloric intake include: increased consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages, increased snacking, larger portion sizes, more meals purchased outside of the home, and more exposure to advertisements, such as fast-food restaurants, processed foods, and junk food. Society also plays a role in the decrease in activity by: labor-saving technology, increased media use, automobiles to commute, limited opportunities for activity during the workday, and limited time for physical education in schools. While society is quick to group “obese” individuals into their own category and stigmatizing obesity, they are the one’s contributing to